Today we try to visit to the beautiful surroundings of Rotorua, its rushing rivers and their waterfalls, the various geothermal areas with pools of bubbling mud and steaming geysers. We come back from this tour in the afternoon to prepare to participate in the Te Po event that will allow us to know more about the history of the Maori people, their customs, their customs and their way of cooking the main meal (Hangi). Greeted at the entrance by an amazing and well-trained Maori who outlined how their ancestors coming from the Polynesian, have colonized New Zealand gradually after having known the positive and negative aspects (the first came in the summer and discovered the cold winter and the need to cover to protect from frost) animal behavior (particularly of the many migratory birds) and flora from which they took the essential (the fibers of the local Flax, the Harekeke, a vegetable that they could found everywhere). Brief information on the ethnic origins of the Polynesians from the legendary Hawaiki until Aoteaora and the first reliable information on the great navigator Kupe (for more info click here)
Guided tour of the geysers Pohutu, then witnessing the welcoming ceremony with the offer of peace and the Maori greeting (rubbing noses) a series of dances and songs features including the Haka or war dance.
Latest photos of the surroundings of Kaikoura looking for Paua shells as a souvenir, then leave for a long and complicated trip. A good breakfast and then off to the town of Picton where at 1 pm starts the ferry to Wellington. The journey takes place under a leaden sky, heavy rain and winds of 40 knots. The ferry takes us slowly towards Wellington, the sea swinging us a little too much, we get to Wellington and the weather did not improve, we start at 5 pm, we expect, along the streets to Napier, 4 hours of heavy wind and rain. We arrived around 9 pm tired but satisfied and we throw on the bed.
Seaside town with a beautiful promenade full of attractions and beautiful motel, nice shops, Napier is at the center of a country where the best New Zealand’s apples are produced and where there are a considerable number of vineyards and wineries. We leave for Rotorua along roads that pass through huge forests.
Arrived at our destination we take a walk to the city center and plan the day tomorrow which will end with a visit to a termal park, a dance performance and the typical Maori Hangi.
Wake up and breakfast then armed with our photocameras we move to a colony of seals which is located few kilometers from the hotel. We find ourselves in a fabulous place with seals and sea lions sleeping on all sides, with seal pups arguing and screaming, that cut off the road, looking at us to understand who we are and what we want. We remain at a respectful distance, and after a while they ‘ignore us as if we were part of the landscape. After lunch we go in the center town for shopping, where we buy some souvenirs and we decided that tonight we eat Fish and Chips.
Upon leaving Christchurch, to go to Keikoura, a town known for the Whale Watch cruises. In fact, we booked one for today at 12:45. we When arrive at the hotel, we move quickly at the reception center of the cruise. After a short briefing they accompany us on board the catamaran. A few minutes by boat and the captain tells us that we are at the right place for watching the whales . After a few minutes there appeared the blow of steam vent, is a sperm whale which takes a breath after the dive and then stops a few minutes on the surface to breathe before diving again. During the cruise we have seen afloat 5 sperm whales, a pod of dolphins and a large number of Albatross. When at the harbor, we go back to the hotel and go out for a long walk along the beaches of the Pacific ocean, observing nature.
Arrived in Christchurch we leave our suitcases in the motel and go for a walk to the city center, what is presented to us is a sad and depressing sight, the beautiful city that we remember, no longer exists, the cathedral was gutted, buildings are destroyed and the center is completely empty, the only presences are the workmen that would cleaning and reconstructing buildings. Of the beautiful city, full of life and young guys, nothing remain, the great tradition of the university town has been hit hard. You can still see groups of guys, but lack those places and structures that once welcomed them and made them eat and entertain. However, we found a corner specifically designed to jump-start the economy, consisting of shops, builded up with containers, modified to install the windows instead of the plates.
Outbound flight with Emirates, Dubai – Rome with the A380 (yeah, the one with double deck) with bar service throughout the flight, then the route Dubai – Kuala Lumpur – Melbourne, where we spent a few hours and then from Melbourne to Auckland. Arrival at the airport, photo rite under the sails that are the symbol of the airport. Transfer to the offices of the Apex Car Rental service where we picked up the car that will take us around the two islands of New Zealand. The first stop in Hamilton where we stop to rest and restore from the time gap due to the timezone with a good night’s sleep. The cold icing our car during the night (a beautifully serene starry night) the temperature drops well below zero.
The NZ capital must to be visited first for its ability to welcome and to be always on a human scale. its beautiful Te Papa Museum with showrooms for young and old. Ped paths, dedicated areas, all at your hands. From here we had took the ferry to reach the South Island and continue our tour
The Tongariro National park extends over an area of just under 800 square kilometers in the North Island. There are several volcanoes, Mt Ruapehu, Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Tongariro (which gives its name to the park).
The bay of the America’s cup, wide opened to the oceanand protected by the Great Barrier Island
Beautiful location with a wonderful sea and a bay dotted with islands and islets in which the New Zealanders love to fish, swim, sail. In this bay, the Waitangi Treaty was signed for the sale of the lands of New Zealand to the British
